Orion and the Dark

Reviewed by: Cidney Mayes - Wells Public Library, Wells, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 11, 2015

Review

Yarlett showcases her mixed-media artwork in this tale about a boy named Orion and a fear-conquering adventure with a creature named Dark. Orion is scared of almost everything, but is especially scared of the dark. One night, he exasperatedly yells at the dark to go away, and is shocked when a benign creature named Dark descends into his bedroom to lead him on an adventure to face his fears. Graph paper, watercolor, and digital collage create images that require close inspection as they are packed with extra information, such as all of the methods that Orion uses to combat his fear of the dark. In these spreads the text becomes hard to find, which disrupts the flow of the story. Other spreads are simplistic, with some featuring a paper arm cut-out that serves as Dark's arm, which shakes Orion's hand and embraces him at different points in the story. An overall charming book with some production flaws make this title best suited for lap-reading.

Overall Book Score: good